Wednesday, December 21

Yay! I'm off to New York for New Year's Eve and I am beyond excited. Lots of you have really enjoyed my 'Pack With Me' videos in the past, so here's my New York Edition. I absolutely love the Ikea Packing Cubes which you'll quickly realise, and I've tried to pack layers/warm things as apparently, it's freeezzzingggg in the Big Apple! Be sure to tune back in to my channel in the New Year for vlogs too!

Last night, I saw my second panto of the season at The Mayflower Theatre in Southampton; the spectacular family pantomime, Robin Hood! Running until 8th January 2017, this show has re-written the book of panto. Here's why you need to go!

Featuring the much-loved EastEnders stars Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace (aka Alfie and Kat), they've both won numerous awards for their portrayal of Walford’s much-loved couple. If you love EastEnders, then you'll love the show. There's heaps of references to laugh at! Robin Hood marks their first pantomime together with Shane in the title role of Robin Hood and Jessie as the beautiful Maid Marion.

Staged at Mayflower Theatre for the first time, Robin Hood is produced by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, and the company behind last year’s record-breaking production of Aladdin. Featuring Mayflower Theatre’s hallmark of outstanding entertainment, Robin Hood is packed full of action, adventure and comedy with plenty of glitz and glamour for theatregoers of all ages. Michael Harrison, Managing Director of Qdos Entertainment Pantomimes said “Mayflower Theatre audiences are in for an unmissable production full of laughter, music, special effects and a fantastic 3D sequence.”

That's right...3D! I have to admit, the 3D part is quite scary (even for me!), so just bear this in mind if you're bringing small children. It definitely kept me on my toes! I fell in love with the surprise bits of magic...Merlin the Magician throws up some absolutely incredible tricks throughout the show, which made me actually "WOW" out loud. The choreography and vocals during the songs was truly brilliant, and watch out for the dinosaur...let's just say you'll be blown away! The show has all the elements of panto you would expect, very family-friendly and maybe a bit silly. Worth a watch!

The theatre was completely packed out and I had a brilliant evening, so be sure to bring your whole family to see it. Tickets for Robin Hood are on sale from Mayflower Theatre Box Office tel: 02380 711811 or online at mayflower.org.uk.

Sunday, December 18

Before I begin, I love being in a relationship. I love being in love. I love having that connection with someone. The chase. The good morning texts. The chemistry. The dates. Ahh, it's like real life magic.But I also bloomin' love being single. This might come down to me also living on my own but hey, single life isn't as bad as society sometimes makes us feel. I actually think it's really healthy to have some time to be single.Dating isn't so badI've been on a few dates this year. Some good, some bad. My most recent date was at a really cute little restaurant, with live music, fairy lights and great food and wine. We spoke for hours with no awkwardness, and it was really enjoyable. I also played mini golf with someone, which isn't something I would have normally arranged with my friends or family. Dating can bring an element of fun to your lifestyle, even if it does seem daunting! At the end of the day, if there's no chemistry and it's really awkward, you just don't see them again.Save money/spend it on youWhen I'm in a relationship, I've noticed that I generally spend more money on days out, holidays, and meals etc. Even buying gifts for their birthday or our anniversary...and don't get me started on Christmas, especially if you buy for their family too. Although it's all lovely, being single means you can either save some dollar, or treat yo'self instead. Because no one deserves another lipstick or new pair of shoes more than you. Living alone!When it comes to being single, living on my own is truly great. I imagine I'll meet someone and live with them one day, but will most likely look back on this time of living alone. I'm a starfisher in bed and like taking up all the space. I like not worrying about what meals we're going to have each night. I like not having to share my Dairy Milk! Or my personal space. It's pretty nice. For now anyway.Focus on YOU things.Being in a relationship means you make sacrifices and often have to work around each others schedule to spend time together. I don't need to worry about this right now, my evenings are ALWAYS free! I like having time to focus on me things, work on my blog and spend time with my mum and friends, things that drop in my priority list naturally when I meet someone. No arguments or drama...
...until a guy you're dating screws you over. Again. Pros and cons to everything, eh?

Monday, December 12

Last week, the first DS Urban Store officially opened its doors at Westfield London Shopping Centre. DS Automobiles is a luxury vehicle brand, first announced in early 2009 by Citroën. As many of you know (if you watch my weekly vlogs, you’ve seen my car almost daily!), I’ve been a loyal Citroën customer for almost six years now, with my pride and joy being my Citroën C1. I’ve had three so far, and the car serves me so well. However, it’s almost time for a change, and over the next few years I’ll be looking at upgrading again, which is where DS certainly has my eye (and heart!).

The new DS Urban Store is a world premier for the brand, a luxury lifestyle boutique encompassing everything that DS stands for. High class, exceptional style and pride in the perfect balance between their heritage, and the future. It’s a chance to learn about the inspiration behind the brand, and enjoy a new experience to a car showroom. Trust me, it’s like no other!

Yves Bonnefont – Chief Executive Officer, DS Automobiles said, “The DS Urban Store opening in London represents an important step in the development of the DS network. This new digitally interactive DS Urban Store concept is a strong asset to promote the brand as close as possible to its customers. It is a place where you can buy your DS, immerse yourself in the DS universe and live the brand experience.”

The DS Urban Store featured fives different sections. First up, the DS Exhibition area, giving centre stage to a flagship model from the DS Collection. This area is really special in appreciating the craftsmanship behind the brand. I love the display of tools, fabrics and colourways.

Next is the DS Boutique, with a large collection of DS lifestyle products inspired by DS Automobiles’ distinctive brand values – French expertise in luxury, refinement, personalisation and advanced technology. Here you can browse, shop and enjoy the array of books and products available to purchase.

Experience the DS Virtual Vision area, for an immersive 3D journey into the DS range of cars. Wearing a virtual reality headset, you can view all of the different personalisation options available. The experience is interactive and engaging, particularly as those using the technology ultimately find themselves in the Place de la Concorde in Paris, standing next to the DS of their choice. I absolutely love this concept, what a way to give you a good feel of your new car!

The fourth section is the DS Louge, where you can work on the configuration of your car, guided by a DS Advisor. I’ve done a similar experience myself when I picked my alloy wheels, vehicle colour and seats interior for my own car. As it's such a huge part of your daily life, the shopping configuration is a special part, one I can't wait to experience again myself.

And finally, the DS Bijouterie is the most private area within a DS Urban Store, which is normally reserved for clients who wish to confirm the purchase of their new car.

With 132 DS Stores and 2 DS WORLD locations globally, the network is quickly establishing itself as a premium automotive retail space. What better way to shop for your next car, than in style? Each DS Store embodies the brand universe with its very own atmosphere (music, fragrance, lighting, colours etc.) and places the customer at the centre of the brand experience. I can't wait to share more about the brand in 2017, so keep your eyes on my blog for more soon.

Thursday, December 8

Last night, I had the pleasure of visiting the Cue Camera Photo Studio* in Southampton and had an absolute ball. Now, I'm going to be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect because when I heard 'photobooth', I automatically presumed small props and a selection of four photos (you know the ones) however, Cue Camera is a mini Photo Studio, in the middle of Guildhall. You can have your photos taken by a professional photographer, in a variety of Christmas themed fancy dress outfits! Amazing. It's honestly much more fun than you imagine, and it completely exceeded my expectations.You can't miss it, because it's shiny and gold on the outside and right next to the Christmas Tree in Guildhall Square however, it's super neat and packed inside, with a 'blue screen', changing area, sofa/lounge and heaps of outfits!We arrived at the studio and sat down on the sofas to explore the huge catalogue of fancy dress options to pick from. I went for an elf, because what better way to feel festive! I love the candy cane stripes. They have a selection of 'one size fits all' and a range of womens/mens sizes too. I popped all my clothes into a santa sack, hung it up and then I was good to go!

They played christmas tunes and we giggled about how cheesy we all felt, but in a good way! I laughed and laughed and posed like I'd be drinking several vodkas (I hadn't, but I felt like it!). The experience truly was great fun.

Once we finished shooting, we picked out our favourites and could see on the screens the team editing and adding the effects right there and then. You get a print to take away, as well as a unique login to your own private gallery online, where you can buy additional digital downloads and even make t-shirts, mugs and cards!

The studio officially opened today, and will run through to New Year's Eve. They'll be open every day 10am - 10pm, except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Starting from just £15, you can even bring your pets! It's the perfect stop if you're on a night out with your friends, or an after-work drink with your colleagues.

Here's some of the photos!

Cheers Cue Camera, I can't wait to do this again! Check out the website HERE and be sure to visit the studio for festival fun this December. It'll certainly put you in the the Christmas spirit!

Tuesday, December 6

This year, the Boots Star Gift Set for Christmas 2016 is one you don't want to miss. Trust me. The Whole Glam Lot* gift set is normally £60, but you can get it for ONE DAY ONLY for half price at just £30! It'll be exclusively in Boots stores and online HERE this Friday 9th December.

It's an absolute steal and would make a fabulous Christmas present. It comes in a little mini suitcase, covered in selfies from Soap & Glory fans over the year!

I'm really impressed with the section this year, there's something for everyone and a great mix of some of Soap & Glory's best sellers. My particular favourites are the Sugar Crush Body Wash (smells of lime, so amazing!), the Mother Pucker Lip Gloss and Hand Food Hand Cream.

It's going to sell out crazy quick, so check back HERE on Friday to nab one of The Whole Glam Lot Soap & Glory Star Gift Sets!

Thursday, December 1

I popped into Superdrug today (as you do), to pick up some of my favourite beauty supplies and thought I'd share them with you.

Firstly, Rimmel have an awesome offer right now. It's 3 for 2 on all items plus, you get a free tote bag (and it's actually quite nice!). So I picked up another Fix & Perfect Pro Primer, my absolute favourite for keeping my foundation in place all day. I'm a huge Rimmel lover right now, currently using their Fresher Skin Foundation too, but I can't be without the primer. I've tried the other two in the range and much prefer this for my dry skin. Next up, a new powder. I'm not too loyal with powders and normally go for the (Rimmel again) Stay Matte Pressed Powder. This time, I thought I'd try the new Clear Complexion Radieux Clarifying Powder. It also comes in the shade transparent, so doesn't matter how tanned (or not) you are. Finally from Rimmel, they've got a new Brow This Way Gel, yes! With 3 for 2, I got it for free, which is quite nice.The last bits I got were buy one get one half price on the Cotton Wool pads, which I use to remove nail varnish or my makeup with micellar water. And speaking of Micellar water, these Simple Wipes are THE BOMB. I love them. They're half price right now too, so I bought all the ones they had on the shelf. They're perfect for sensitive skin, and genuinely remove stubborn mascara. Highly recommend. Last but not least, I also picked up this Gillette Dry Skin Shaving Gel, which was also on offer. This stuff last ages. I normally go for the Sensitive Skin one with Aloe Vera, but thought I'd try the Dry Skin version with Shea Butter.

Saturday, November 26

I hate to admit this, but I'm a fairly new Harry Potter fan. Having purchased the box-set and marathon watching the films a year ago now, (but only just beginning to read the Philosopher's Stone), I can't quite fully pledge my love from the phenomenon just yet but trust me, it's there. I'm a proud Slytherin, often ambitious and achievement-oriented. So imagine the excitement I felt on my spontaneous decision to drive three hours from Bournemouth to Watford on Thursday afternoon, to attend the official launch of Hogwarts In The Snow* at the Warner Bros Studio Tours...yup, I was pretty ecstatic.

I arrived pretty flustered, half an hour early, repeating myself about my long ass drive to the array of team in front of me. They kindly gave me with a goodie bag and glass of mulled wine, and my anxieties of standing alone until Amy arrived quickly disappeared. It's my second time visiting the tour and I was absolutely blown away with how beautiful it all looked. Based at the Leavesden film studios just outside London, home for ten years for the cast and crew creating the films, it's now an incredible opportunity for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the magic, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I have to point out that even if you've been before (no matter how long you took to go round the place), you'll spot things you missed...because I certainly did!From now until 29th January 2017, you can experience the tour like no other time of year. Being a huge Christmas lover (my tree was up November 6th..no shame), I couldn't miss the chance to see the Hogwarts festivities. Starting in The Great Hall, they've lined it with Christmas Trees, special-effects roaring fires, and the dining tables are dressed with seasonal feasts (including flaming Christmas Puddings!). The Gryffindor Common Room and Boys’ Dormitory are decorated with the original props, including handmade Christmas cards, some of which were made by the cast members during production.

It doesn't do justice in photos, but the Hogwarts model castle is covered in a beautiful blanket of snow, which took four days to transform. There's an opportunity to discover how artificial snow and ice is made, and of course, all the usual excitement like drinking butterbeer, flying a broom, riding the Knight Bus (where it was snowing in the lot!), discovering Diagon Alley, climbing on board the original Hogwarts Express (and getting a classic photo with your trolley at Platform 9 3/4) and exploring the gift shop. You honestly won't want to miss it.

Huge thanks to Warner Bros for having me, I can't wait to come back soon.